Karunanidhi laid to rest on the Marina at sun set

Updated by admin on
Wednesday, August 08, 2018 08:53 PM IST

Chennai:
DMK president and former Tamil Nadu chief minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi was laid to rest on the Marina beachfront as several chief ministers and leaders of various parties besides thousands of supporters bade him a tearful farewell. Symbolically, the leader of the party with the Rising Sun as its symbol was cremated around the time of the sun set.

The day was marked by high drama as the DMK lawyers had to win a court battle with the AIADMK government to secure a site on the Marina near the Anna memorial, which was a wish of Karunanidhi.

The 94-year-old Dravidian patriarch known as Kalaignar was buried with full military honours next to his mentor and former chief minister C N Annadurai, while his family members led by party working president M K Stalin were in tears as the coffin was lowered.

A large number of film celebrities including Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Ajith, Vijay Sethupathy, Kushboo, Vairamuthu, Pa Vijay, director Vijay, conveyed their condolences to the Karunanidhi family at Rajaji Hall.

Thousands of people filed past the body to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

Karunanidhi’s son and heir apparent Stalin received the national flag wrapped around his father’s body. Gun shots were fired as a mark of respect to the leader as the coffin was lowered. Family members showered flower petals at his feet. Hindu rites were not performed as Karunanidhi was an atheist and rationalist.